vanderbeck



(No Model.)

B. J. VANDERBEGK. WHIFFLETREE COUPLING Patented July 21, 1896i m E? N E UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

R J. VANDERBECK, OF SHELDON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO W. H. SLEEPER, OF SAME PLACE.

WHlFFLETREE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,264, dated July 21, 1896.

Application filed April 11, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, R J. VANDERBEOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sheldon, in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Whiffletree-Ooupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in whiffletree-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to provide asimple and effective device adapted for pivoting a whiffietree to a doubletree or to the cross-bar of a pair of shafts without employing a pivot-bolt, and capable of maintaining a whiffletree permanently in proper position to prevent the same from sagging or becoming twisted and causing the strain incident to drawing a vehicle to be exerted on one trace or tug only.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a whiffletree and a crosspiece coupled by my improved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken transversely of the whiflletree. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken longitudinally of the same. Fig. at is a detail perspective view of the attachment-plate. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective view of a whiffletree-plate. Fig. 6 is a horiontal sectional view of the whiffietree-couping.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates awhiffletree-plate constructed of suitable metal, preferably wrought-iron, and designed to be arranged on the lower face of a whiffletree 2, which may be either a single or double tree, and the plate is provided with upwardly-extending arms 3, adapted to be bent inward against the front and. rear faces of the whiffletree and to embrace the same and to be secured to the whiffletree by suitable fastening devices, such as screws or the like. The whiffietree-plate is provided with an integral depending pivot 4, provided at its bottom with a circular head or flange 5,

Serial No. 545,335. (No model.)

adapted to fit in a socket '6 of a cross-piece 7, which may be either a doubletree, the crossbar of apair of shafts, or a pole or tongue.

The pivot is secured in the socket 6 by an attachment-plate 7, constructed of suitable metal and provided with a transversely-disposed opening 8, substantially U -shaped and extending inward from one side of the attachment-plate. The attachment-plate embraces the pivot above the flange or head which projects beyond the opening 8 and bears against the lower face of the attachment and is provided with extensions 9, secured to the upper face of the cross-piece 7. The whiffletreeplate is provided at one side of the pivot with a lug 10, fitting in the opening and having a limited movement therein and limiting the swing of the whiffietree, and the open side of the attachment-plate and the lug may be arranged either in front or rear of the whiffletree, but are preferably arranged at the front side of the same.

The parts are assembled by first interlocking the pivot of the whiffletree-plate with the attachment-plate. The latter is then secured to the tree or bar with the head of the pivot in the socket thereof, and the whiffletree is then attached to the parts already assembled by bending the arms of the Whiffletree-plate around it. The whiflietree conceals the fastening devices of the attachment-plate and prevents.access to them until the arms of the whiffletree-plate are detached from the whiffletree.

It will be seen that the coupling is simple and inexpensive in construction, that it dispenses with the ordinarypivotbolt, and that it is capable of being readily applied to singletrees and doubletrees, and that it prevents them from sagging forward and becoming inoperative.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

The combination of a tree or bar provided in its upper face with an annular socket, a

the attachment-plate to limit the swing of the whifiletree, and a whiflietree-plate formed integral with the pivot and securing the whif- I 5 fietree to the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing asmy own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

R J. VANDERBECK. lVitnesses:

XV. H. SLEEPER, P. WV. HALL. 

